Freaks Like Us
by Therio
Summary: Sometimes, what we believe to be true is not always the case. One-Shot


**Freaks Like Us**

 **Disclaimer:** Not mine, just borrowing.

It was the first Potions class of the year, which Harry Potter was really looking forward to. From what he had read, it was using recipes to mix ingredients. Since he'd already been cooking and reading recipes for many years, he figured this would be easy.

This class was a combined Gryffindor and Slytherin class. As they were standing in the corridor, waiting for the door to the classroom to open, Pansy Parksinson looked towards Harry with a sneer. "So Potter, going to try and show us up with all the magic you know? Everyone knows you've been training ever since you offed the Dark Lord! Think you are better than the rest of us now?"

Harry didn't say anything, he just looked at her as if he wished the floor would open up and swallow him.

Ron Weasley, whom Harry had met on the train, stepped forward. "Leave Harry alone you slimy snakes. Harry doesn't know what you are talking about. He didn't even know anything about magic or being a wizard until he received his Hogwarts letter. He told me so on the train." The Slytherins and many of the Gryffindors looked at Ron thinking 'wow, is he ever gullible'.

Just then the classroom door opened.

Professor Severus Snape looked around the Potions classroom with what looked to be a sneer on his face. If you were to ask him however, he would say it was more of a a grimace, as he considered the students before him, and wondered how many cauldrons would be blown up this year. 'Of course, there was Potter as well,' he thought 'All smug just like the little pampered Prince he is. Well he will soon be finding out that not everyone will be bowing down kissing his feet. He's most likely a bully as well, just like his father.' Once the class settled, he started with the speech he always gave his first years. As he was finishing his normal spiel, he completed it with... "I hope you are better than the normal dunderheads I have to put with. Wands away, there will be no florid undulations in this class. Raise your hand when I call your name."

He proceeded to call out the names of the students, until he got to one particular name. "Harry Potter, our resident celebrity. Tell me Potter! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Harry sat there looking like a deer staring into the headlights of an oncoming car. "I don't know sir."

"Hmph, well then, where would I find a bezoar?"

Harry felt like the world had fallen from beneath him. Maybe Uncle Vernon was right, he was a freak. He didn't know the answer to these questions. The professor obviously felt he should know them, or else he would not have asked them right at the start of the class. He obviously wasn't normal here either.

He did not answer the question. With a sob and a tear rolling down his cheek, he got up from his seat, took out his wand, and holding his wand in both hands in front of him, approached the Professor.

The combined classroom of Gryffindor and Slytherin were looking at Harry, puzzled, and wondering what was going on.

Professor Snape was also puzzled, but also feeling alarmed. "Potter, what are you doing?"

"M-my uncle was r-right sir, I am a a fr-freak and don't belong among nor-normal people", Harry sobbed.

He held out his wand presenting it to the Professor. "Here you you g-go sir. You you can bre break it if you want, it's what U-Uncle Vernon would do. F-freaks like me don't deserve something good like this."

The classroom looked at this with a feeling of horror. They had all heard the story of Harry Potter, and how after defeating the Dark Lord, was raised as a privileged Prince. The children of the Light sided families were were horrified to learn that their saviour was so obviously abused growing up. The children of the Dark sided families thought of the stories they heard of the "pampered Prince" and how they were supposed make sure he knew he wasn't so privileged. Not only wasn't he brought up privileged, he must have been treated worse then a number of their acquaintances. He was one of them and damn it, they were going to do something about it. Hearing this from Harry, they sympathized with him, (but never pity) and vowed to themselves to help Harry as best they could, to be the best Wizard he could be.

Professor Snape felt like he had just been slapped hard across the face. Potter's son, no not Potter's son, Lily's son, was abused. His mind went back to his school days and how he was treated by his father. He thought about how it felt when he first came to Hogwarts, eyeing it as a refuge, and a chance to live a normal life. He thought about how it felt, having come from all that, then being bullied at school. He thought about how his life had turned out. He thought of how he was planning to treat this boy in front of him, the same way this boys father had treated him in school. Severus Snape knew he was not a nice man, but seeing himself in the boy in front of him, and what he had planned to do, sickened him.

"Put your wand away, Mr. Potter", he gently said.

"But sir, I didn't know the answer to your q-questions like you thought I should, I must be a f-freak.".

"Are you able to read minds now Mr. Potter, to know what I am thinking?"

Harry looked at his teacher feeling even more horrified.

The Professor crouched down so he was able to look Harry in the eyes.

Keeping his voice uncharacteristically calm, he tried again. "Harry, what do I do here?"

"You're the P-potions P-professor sir."

"And what do Professor's do Harry?"

"T-they teach sir."

"Exactly Harry, I am a teacher. Now a professor's job is to teach things that you do not know, and the way to find out is to ask questions. You are not expected to already know everything, or we would not have to be here. Do you follow me so far Harry?"

"Y-yes sir, so you didn't expect us to already know the answers. so I'm I'm not a f-freak?" Harry asked hopefully.

"No Harry, you are not a freak. Now we need to go speak with the Headmaster about your home life. Can you do this for me Harry. I promise I will be right there with you."

Harry had never had an adult before, that seemed to care for him like this man seemed to. He felt like a lifeline had just been thrown to him. "Yes sir, if you are there, I will speak to the Headmaster."

"Thank you Harry."

Professor Severus Snape looked at the rest of the class, with a clear warning in his eyes of the worst kind of detention for anyone that even suggested he was a nice man.

"Open your books to chapter 1. Mr. Potter and I will be going to see the Headmaster. Sit quietly in your seats and read the first two chapters in your book, and be prepared for a quiz on them for next class. Once you are done, you can head to the library."

With that, Harry Potter and Professor Severus Snape walked out of the Potions classroom, neither realizing just what their actions were about to set in motion for the Wizarding world.

The End

 **Authors Note:** I am marking this one as complete but may come back to it and add a chapter showing the reactions of different people in the class and Dumbledore.


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